Blind stitch sewing machine for seaming hems



Oct. 22, 1935.

C. W. MUELLER BLIND STITCH SEWING MACHINE FOR SEAMING HEMS Filed Jan. 1'7, 1954 ll Sheets-Sheet l Oct. 22, 1935. c. w. MUELLER BLIND STITCH SEWING MACHINE FOR SEAMING HEMS Filed Jan. 1'7, 1954 ll Sheets-She et 2 Oct. 22, 1935. c. w. MUELLER BLIND STITCH SEWING MACHINE FOR SEAMING HEMS Fil ed Jan. 17, 1934 ll Sheets-Sheet 3 i I] nuenfot Oct. 22, 1935. c. w. MUELLER BLIND STITCH SEWING MACHINE FOR SEAMING HEMS Filed Jan. 17, 1934 ll Sheets-Sheet 4 Z] wuenhn, I

Ogt. 22, 1935.

C. W. MUELLER BLIND STITCH SEWING MACHINE FOR SEAMING HEM S Filed Jan. 1'7, 1954 l Sheets-Sheet 5 c. w. MUELLER ,018,186

BLIND STITCH SEWING MACHINE FOR SEAMING HEMS Filed Jan. 17, 1934 ll Sheets-Sheet 6 Oct. 22, 1935.

Oct. 22, 1935. c. w. MUELLER 2,018,186

BLIND STITCH SEWING MACHINE FOR SEAMING HEMS Filed Jan. 1'7, 1954 11 Sheets-Sheet 7 Oct. 22, 1935. c, w, MUELLER 2,018,186

BLIND STITCH SEWING MACHINE FOR SEAMING l-IEMS- Filed Jan. 17, 1934 ll Sheets-Sheet 8 Udfle; WJfileZZer;

C. W. MUELLER BLIND STITCH SEWING MACHINE FOR SEAMING HEMS Oct. 22, 1935.

ll SheetsSheet 9 Filed Jan. 17, 1934 Oct. 22, 1935. c. w. MUELLER BLIND STITCH SEWING MACHINE FOR SEAMING HEMS Filed'Jan. 17, 1934 ll Sheets-Sheet l0 Oct. 22, 1935. c. w. MUELLER BLIND STITCH SEWING MACHINE FOR SEAMING HEMS Filed Jan. 17, 1954 ll Sheets-Sheet ll Elwin/atom,

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Patented Oct. 22, 1935 UNITED STATES BLIND STITCH SEWING MACHINE FOR SEAMING HEMS Charles W. Mueller, St. Louis, Mo., assignor to Lewis Invisible Stitch Machine Company, St.

Louis, Mo., a corporation of Maine Application January 17,1934, Serial No. 707,029

39 Claims.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in blind stitch sewing machines for seaming hems or other superposed fabric layers.

Heretofore hems have been stitched by a line of single thread blind stitches wherein all of the needle thread loops have joined the hem to the body fabric or. base layer and have been laid in a manner to simulate hand made whip stitches. By reason of all the needle thread loops being anchored to the body fabric, a puckering or wavy effect is given to them, and this effect is undesirable particularly in narrow hems which are formed along the bottoms of waists and skirts. This undesirable effect was overcome by me as shown in my seam Patent 1,903,933 which issued April 18, 1933, wherein alternate needle thread loops enter and emerge from the upper face of the body fabric below the hem and also penetrate upwardly through the hem, the remaining needle thread loops penetrating'upwardly through the hem only, thereby avoiding the puckering or wavy effect which would otherwise occur. However, in hemming blouses considerable trouble has been encountered at the beginning and ending of each hemming operation owing to the fact that at-times the firstand last stitches, which are known as anchor stitches, may not engage the body fabric and therefore the hem will not be joined to the body fabric at these points.

One of the objects of this invention is to overcome this objection, and this I have accomplished by forming several anchor" stitches'in succes- A further object of the invention liesln the provision of a visible indicator for indicating to the operator whether the machine will form all anchor stitches, or .alternate anchor and skip stitches.

With these and other objects in view which will more fully appear the nature of the invention will be more clearly understood by following the description, the appended claims,.and the several views illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:- Figure 1 is a top plan view of a sewing machine constructed in accordance with my invention, 5

Figure 2 is a front elevation thereof, Figure 3 isan elevation of the right hand side of the machine, a I

Figure 4 is an elevation of the left hand side of the machine, parts thereof being shown in 10 W 7 shaft of the ridge forming plunger,

Figure 8 is a bottom plan view of the laterally extending and the forwardly extending arms, together with the mechanisms contained therein, 25

Figure 9 is a detail horizontal section of the driving eccentrics on the main shaft,

Figure 10 is a detail rear view showing the l-to- 2 driving connections for the cam-shaft of the ridge forming element, 80

Figure 11 is a vertical sectional view showing the free mounting of one of the differential gear units on the main shaft,

Figure 12 is a side elevation showing the disc, the eccentric and the eccentric sleeve of the ridge forming element driving means,

Figure 13 is an end elevation of the preferred a type of lower feed (10%.

Figure-l4 is a side elevation thereof,

. Figure 15 is a perspective view showing the various parts of said feed dog in separated relation,

' Figure 20 ,is an enlarged top plan view of the; 1;;

stationary presser foot, and cooperating parts,

Figure 21 is a vertical section showing the.- manually operable lever shifted to, effect anjal inn Figure 16 is a side elevation of a modified form ternate shifting of the range of movement of the ridge forming element,

Figure 22 is a detail view showing the corresponding position of the cam which raises and lowers the ridge form element,

Figures 23 to 30 are similar pairs of views showing the parts in various positions,

Figure 31- is a detail front view showing the substitution of a disc-carrying shaft for the camcarrying shaft,

Figure 32 is an end elevation of the disc,

Figure 33 is a plan view of a body fabric hemmed by my invention,

Figure 34 is a sectional view taken on the line 34-34 of Figure 33, and

Figure 35 is a sectional view taken on the line 3535 of Figure 33.

Like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several figures of the drawings. i By reference to Figures 33, 3.4 and 35 of the drawings, it will be seen that a body fabric or base and an inturned edge portion b. joined to the body fabric by a line .of single thread of the arm 8, and are layer A is formed with a hem B extending along one edge thereof, the hem including a hem fold b The hem is stitches. The thread C is formed into a'series of connected needle thread loops which are equally spaced apart. The loops 0 join both the body fabric and the hem and are called anchor stitches, whereas the loops c do not engage the body fabric but enter and emerge from the hem only and are called skip stitches. While the fabric is being fed through the machine, the hem B is first joined to the body fabric A by several successively formed "anchor? stitches, then a series of alternate skip and anchor stitches are made along the hem, and then at the ending of the operation the hem is again joined to the body fabric by several successively formed "anchor stitches. Thus, the major portion of the hem is joined by alternate "skip" and "anchor stitches which avoid the-wavy or puckering effect heretofore explained, and the end portions of the hem are properly joined to the body fabric by several successively formed "anchor" stitches.

My improvedsewing machine for forming the hem seam just described, includes a frame com prising a base 5 having a standard 6 rising from the rear right hand comer thereof, and integral with the upper end of the standard is an arm I which extends laterally towards the left and terminates in a forwardly extending arm 8. A pair of spaced posts 9, ID are integral with the base 5 andproject upwardly therefrom, said posts being disposed in front of the arm I and at the right disposed in a vertical plane in substantially parallelism with the longitudinal axis of the arm I.

' A stationary presser foot I l is removably attached to the frontend of the arm 8 by a clamping screw i2. Vertical arms H H cooperate with the arm 8 and the foot to hold the latter against flexing. An edge guide l I for the hem is attached to the front of the foot.

A work support or plate I 3 is pivoted on the posts 9, i0 through the medium of a pivot shaft M which is mounted in the posts and secured therein against rotation by set screws 1 5, the ends of the shaft having pivotal connection with'lugs l6, 16 depending from the work support I3, as

shown in Figure 5. The pivot shaft I4 is'located of said support to be rocked upwardly and downwardly relative to the stationary presser foot H.

A block I1 is rigidly secured to the left hand end of the work support l3 by screws I! and is disposed directly under the presser foot. The for- 5 ward portion of the work support is urged upwardly towards the presser foot by a coil spring l8 which is coiled around the pivot shaft I4, one end l9 resting against a lug 28 which depends from the work support and the other end 2! extending downwardly into engagement with an adjusting screw 22 threadably engaged in a lug 23 on the base 5. The rear portion of the work support is limited in its downward movement by an adjusting screw 24 threadably engaged in the work support and having its lower end normally engageable with a bearing lug 25 integral with the standard 6. .The screw 24 is provided witha head 26 having a circular series of notches 26*- on its lower face for engagement by a spring detent 21 20 mounted in the work support toretain the screw in an adjusted position. Afpointer 28 is mounted on the work support for vertical adjustments and is clamped in position by a screw 30, and this pointer overhangs the head 26 of the screw 24 25 tending longitudinally thereof is a rotary main or drive shaft 3|! to which power is applied through the medium of a belt wheel 31 fixed on said shaft. 35

Journaled in the forwardly extending arm 8 and extending longitudinally thereof is an oscillatory needle shaft 32 which is driven from the main shaft by the usual connection indicated as a whole by the numeral 33. Fixed to the front end of the t0 shaft 32 is a radially extending needle arm 36 to which is secured a curved needle 35. v The needle thus reciprocates directly above'the foot II and in a path transverse to the longitudinal axis thereof, the forward or work penetrating stroke being 45 from left to right. Cooperating with the needle 35 to form a series of connected single thread chain stitches is a 6-motion looper 36 which is driven from the main shaft 30 by the usual connections designated as a whole by the reference 5 numeral 31. i

Journaled in lugs 38, 39 depending from the work support l3 and extending in parallelism with the pivot shaft ll thereof, are spaced upper and lower rock shafts 40, 4|, the former consti- 55 tuting a "feed travel shaft and the latter constituting a "feed lift shaft. The feed lift" shaft II is rocked from the main shaft 30 through the shaft is rocked from the main shaft 30 through the medium of a depending rock'arm 45 fixed to 05 the right hand end of said shaft 40, and a pitman 46 which is pivoted at its forward end .to the rock arm and is connected at its rear end to an adjustable throweccentric 41 fixed to the main shaft. The construction of the eccentric 41 is substan-, tially identical with that disclosed in my Patent 1,903,932 which issued April 18, 1933, and therefore a specific description thereof is thought to be unnecessary. u

zontal fiat face 54.

An intermittent 4-motion lower feed dog 48 cooperates with the bottom of the presser foot ll to feed the hemmed goods up to and past the needle. This feed dog is shown particularlyin Figures 13, 14 and 15 and is mounted for lateral rocking on a carrier 49. The carrier 49 comprises spaced longitudinal walls 50, 5! which are rigidly connected across their upper edges by a cross bar 52 which is rectangular in cross-section and comprises vertical side faces 53, 53 and a hori- The feed dog 68 comprises spaced longitudinal feed sections 55, 55 which are rigidly connected along their lower edges by spaced cross bars 56, 56 having flat vertical inner surfaces 51, 57 which engage the faces 53, 53 of the carrier and thereby retain the dog in longitudinal alinement with the carrier 49. A longitudinally and centrally extending horizontal pivot pin 58 rockably connects the dog 46 to its carrier 49', there being sufncient clearance between the dog and carrier to permit the former to rock about the pin as its axis. It will thus be seen that the cross bars 55, 56 of the dog form a resultant transverse space or groove for receiving the transverse bar or tongue 52 of the carrier and that this tongue and groove connection retains the dog against longitudinal movement relative to the carrier, while the pivot pin 58 permits the dog to rock laterally and thereby automatically accommodate the three thicknesses of the hem fold on one side and the single thickness of the body fabric on the other side and thus insure equal feeding action being given both to the hem fold and to the body fabric. It will be also observed that when a single thickness of fabric is fed through the machine, both feed sections 55 will clamp the work against-the bottom of the foot with equal pressure.

In Figures 16, 1'7 and 18, I have illustrated a modified form of lower feed dog 59 comprising spaced longitudinal feed sections 60, 6! which in the carrier. A keeper plate 65 covers the shank 63 and is attached to the carrier by screws 66. The lower end of the shank projects below the bottom of the carrier and is provided with a hori- -zontal and open-ended slot 61 which receives the free end of a fiat spring 68 which is connected to the carrier by a screw 69. Thus, the spring 68 functions not 'only to press the feed section upwardly, but also cooperates with the bottom of the carrier to limit the upward'movement thereof.

The lower extent of vertical movement of the feed. section -61 is such that the feed surface thereof will be depressed below that of the relatively fixed feed section 60 when hemmed work is being fed through the machine, thereby insuring proper feeding action to the body fabric and to the hem. i

The feed dog' carrier 49 in the preferred construction, or the carrier 62 in the modified construction, is pivotally connected as at 10 to the upper end of a vertically disposed feed-lift link H, the lower end of said link being pivotally connected as at 12' to an intermediate point on a lever 13 which extends substantially horizontally. One end of this lever is provided with afork 14 which cooperates with a shoe'l5 freely mounted on a pin 16 extending laterally from a rock arm 11 fixed to the feed-lift? shaft H. The other end of the lever 13 is pivotally connected as at 18 to the lower end of a vertically disposed post 19 which is mounted forvertical movements in the block I? and carries at its upper end a rigidly connected work clamp 86 which is provided with the usual feed slots through which project the feed sections 55, 55 of the preferred construction of feed dog or the feed sections 66, 6! of the modified construction of feed dog. 'llhe forward end of the lever l3, that is, opposite the fork 14 is urged upwardly by coil'springs 8 L85 which have their lower ends connected to the pivot pin 78 and the upper ends extending into openings formed in the block W, the upper ends of the springs being fixedly connected to said block whereby the work clamp 80 is yieldably held against the lower face of the presserfoot H when the feed dog is not performing a feeding action. In order to impart backward and for-v ward movement to the feed dog and thereby intermittently feed the work up to and past the needle 35, the feed dog 38 in the preferred "form or 59 in the modified form is pivotally connected I as at 82 with one end of a substantially horizontally and rearwardly extending link 63, the rear end thereof being pivotally connected as at M to a substantially vertically extending rock arm 85 fixed to the feed-travel shaft 60. The car- I It will be noted thatthe ecthe opening is closed by a cover plate 6 which is swingable about a pivot screw 6 to an open position whereby ready access may behad to the eccentric ll whenever it is desired to adjust the feed stroke of the lower feed dog. This 4-motion feed mechanism is well known inthe art and a further description thereof is thought to be unnecessary.

In order to project a ridge of material into needlepenetrating position immediately prior toeach penetrating stroke of said needle, I have employed a vertically reciprocatory ridge forming elementor plunger 88 which is located below the presser foot H and in' a vertical plane containingthe path of needle oscillation, the plunger moving upwardly through a slot or opening ii which extends longitudinally of thefoo't from a point in front of the needle to a point well in rear thereof, and having a groove 80 in the upper end thereof. Means are provided for vertically reciprocating the plunger-8B and for alternately and bodily varying the position of reciprocation of said plunger whereby the needle 35 on every other penetrating stroke will enter both the base layer A and the hem B to form the anchor stitches c and on alternate or intermediate strokes will enter the hem only to form the skip stitches. Manually operable means are provided for maintaining constant the position of reciprocation of the plunger whereby the needle w ll successively penetrate both the baselayer and the hem and thereby form a series of successive anchor stitches. To this end, the plunger is attached to the upper end of a vertically reciprocatory cam plate 89 which is mounted in a guide slot 9? 5n the block [1. The cam plate, above the block 11, is provided with an open-sided cam recess SI for receiving a three point open face cam 92, the recess forming resultant upper and lower cam surfaces 93 and 94 respectively. The cam 92 is provided with a. concentric or dwell portion 95 and eccentric or eepivot shaft I23 whose longitudinal axis is distive portions 96 'one'ot the latter merging with the dwell portion to form a high point 91. A shoulder 98 is formed on the camplate 89 and a fiat spring 99 which is attached to the block I1 engages the shoulder and serves to yieldably retain the plunger 88 against overthrow. The cam 92 is fixed to a rock shaft I00 which is mounted on and below the work support I3 and extends in parallelism with the main shaft 30. The left hand end of the cam shaft I00 is journaled in a bearing plate IOI which is mounted in a vertical slot I02 in the block I]. The right hand' end of the cam shaft-is journaled on the left hand end of a bearing pin I03 which is thread ably mounted in an eccentric bore I04 extending longitudinally of a bushing I05 mounted in a bore I06 in a lug I01 which is integral with and depends from the work support I3. The pin I03 is held in a previously adjusted position by a set screw I08- which is threadably mounted in the bushing I05, and the bushing I05 is held in place by a set" screw I08 which'is threadably mounted in the lug I01. a driving eccentric H0 is fixed to the main shaft 30 and surrounding this eccentric is an'eccentric sleeve III which is positively rotated on the eccentric but at one-half the speed thereof. A disc II2 which is loosely mounted on the main shaft 30 is provided with a radial slot II3 for receiving a slide block II4 fixed to the eccentric sleeve II I by a shank H5 and a lock screw, II 6 which cooperates with the shank. A driving gear H1 is fixed to the main shaft 30, and freely rotatable on a stationary shaft I I8 mounted in the frame standard 8 is a gear unit comprising a'large gear H9 and a smaller gear I20, the former being in constant mesh with the driving gear H1, and the latter being in constant mesh with a gear I2I fixed to the disc H2. The gear coupling ratio is such that the eccentricsleeve III will be rotated once during every two revolutions of the main shaft 30. In order to oscillate the cam shaft I00 from the eccentric H0 and the eccentric sleeve I I I, I have provided the following driving connectionsz-Journaled in a bore I22 in a lug which depends from the work support I3 is a rotatable posed in parallelism with the cam shaft I00. This pivot shaft I23 is'provided with a reduced outer end I24 which projectsbeyond the bearing lug and a collar I25 is secured thereon to limit the inward movement of said shaft. The inner end of the pivot shaft I23 is provided with an integral and longitudinally extending eccentrically disposed pin or fulcrum I23 Secured by a set screw I26 to the pivot shaft adjacent the inner face of the bearing lug is a manually operable rock arm or lever I 21 having a handpiece I28 extending from the upper end thereof and projecting upwardly through and beyondan opening I29 formed in the work support I3 whereby upon back and forth movement of said handpiece the pivot shaft I23 will be rocked. In .order to retain this handpiece and thereby the pivot shaft I23 in either of its extreme positions of 05- cillation, there is provided a bushing I30 in the bearing lug directly-above the pivot shaft I23. This bushing is provided with a bore I3 I and slidably mounted in said bore is a stop pin I32 which is moved outwardly toward the rock arm or lever I21 by a spring I33 which is disposed within the bore between the pin and a closure plug I34 which is threadably engaged with the outer end of said bore. This pin is therefore spring pressed inwardly and is engageable with either of two'seats I35, I36 formed in the adjacent face of said lever I21. Thus when the lever I21. is actuated,"the eccentric pin I23 will be shifted laterally and the pivot shaft I23 together with the fulcrumpin I23 will be retained in 5 centric sleeve I I I and has the other end pivotally connected to the lower arm of the lever "I31. 15 In the actual operationof the machine, the

hem B will necessarily cover the plunger 88 and consequently the operator will not know when the plunger is at the anchor" stitch position. I have fixed to the cam shaft I 00 a. radially ex- 20 tending indicator finger I which projects upwardly through an opening I42 in the work sup port I3. This finger is so positioned on the shaft 7 that when the plunger moves to its highest elevation to effect a resultant anchor stitch, It 25 will be projected through the front end of the opening I42, and when the plunger moves to a lesser elevation to effect a resultant .skip stitch; the finger will be projected through the rear end of the'opening. Consequently, the operator will know upon viewing the position of the finger relative to the opening, whether the machine is to make anchor stitches only, or both "anchor and skip stitches.- i Cooperating with the lower feed dog to feed 35 the hemmed fabric rearwardly up to and past the needle 35 is a 4-motion top feed dog; I48 which operates on the hem through the feed slot II in rear of the needle. This feed dog is rigidly connected to the front end of a lever I44 which is disposed within and extends longitudinally of the frame arm 8. The lever I44 has a sliding pivotal connection with a stud I'45'fixed to said arm 8, and the rear end of the lever is actuated by an adjustable eccentric I48 mounted on the main shaft, said eccentric being similar to the eccentric 46 which drives the lower'feed dog.

Thus by adjusting these eccentrics 48 and I48 the stitch length may be varied, and the feed stroke of the top'feed'dog maybe increased relative'to the feed stroke of the lower feed dog and thereby take care of the fullness which is present in 'hems.

In order to support not only the bulk of the work as it is being fed through the machine but also the hand of the operator, I have provided a rigid shelf I 41 which is located in front of the work support I3 and is removably attached to the base 5 through the medium of bracket arms I48, I49, the shelf extending to the right as well as to the left of the presser foot I I. The shelf is spaced from the work support I3 a distance sufllcient topermit the later to be depressed whenever it is desired to insert or remove thework. as

From the foregoing, it will be understood that a hemmer of any type may be located on the shelf I41 in front of the presser foot, that the hemmed fabric will be fed through the machine in the usual way by the intermittent top and bottom feeds, and that the needle will .enter and emerge first given an upward movement of such a height I that the needle will penetrate both the body fabric and then the hem to form anchor stitches as shown in Figs. 33 and 34, and is then given an upward movement of a lesser height whereby 5 the needle will penetrate the hem only as shown in Figs. 33 and 35'. As a result of the 1-to-2 gear coupling between the main shaft 30 and the eccentric sleeve I I I, the high points of the eccentric III] and the sleeve III will register in one rotation of the main shaft and will be diametrically opposite in the next rotation of the main shaft. Consequently, the cam shaft I00 and the cam 92 will be oscillated and the position ofthe angular range of movement thereof will be varied whereby the height of the plunger stroke will be intermittently varied. When it is desired to produce a series of anchor stitches, the manually operable lever I2I will be rocked, thereby shifting the eccentric fulcrum pin H23 of the transmitting lever I31 to shift the cam shaft I M angularly whereby the concentric surface 95 of the cam will engage the wall of the cam opening 9g! of the cam plate 89 and thus elevate the plunger 88 to the same height during every rotation of the main 25 shaft and thereby during each cycle project a ridge of the body fabric and the hem into needle penetrating position. Thus at the beginning of each sewing operation, the operator first shifts the lever I2] to the position shown in Figs. 21, 25

and 29 whereby "anchor stitches will be formed,

then after the formation of several of these anchor stitches the operator shifts the lever l2? to its normal position as shown in Figs. 23 and 27, whereby a series of alternate anchor and skip stitches will be formed, and finally at the end of the operation the operator returns the lever to the first position whereby a series of anchor" stitches will be formed.

Instead of employing a vertically reciprocatory 0 plunger, I may employ a reciprocatory ridge forming disc I50 as shown in Fig. 31. The cam shaft I00 is removed and the disc shaft I5! together with the disc I50 is substituted. The disc is formed with a concentric edge I52 and with a 45 radial front edge I53, and a recess I54 is formed at their juncture. The disc is oscillated so that when all anchor stitches are formed, the concentric edge I52 is disposed below the needle path whereby the latter will enter and emerge from the 50 body fabric and the hem, whereas when the lever I2! is shifted the disc shaft will be shifted angularly so that the edge I52 and the recess I54 will be alternately positioned below the needle whereby alternate anchor and skip stitches will be 55 formed. An indicator finger I is attached to the disc shaft and functions in the same manner as heretofore described.

It will be observed that the concentric edge I52 and the bottom of the recess I54 of the disc form 60 peripheral surfaces of different radii which are arranged in tandem, the surface I52 constituting a high portion and the bottom of the recess I54 constituting a low portion. When the high portion of the disc is presented to the needle, the 5 latter will enter and emerge from both layers of the fabric and therebyv form anchor stitches, and when the low portion of the disc is presented to the needle the latter will enter and emerge from the upper or superposed fabric layer 70 only to thereby form resultant skip" stitches. Thus when the manually operable lever I 28 is shifted to successively present the high portion of the disc to the needle, the effective depth of needle penetration in the fabric layers is constant 25 and when said manually operable lever I 28 is shifted, the effective depths of needle penetrations will be varied. .It will also be understood that when the recess I as is presented to the needle, the lower surface thereof supports the fabric layers against the thrust of the needle when 5 .skip stitches are being formed.

It will also be observed that by adjusting the work table I3 about its axis by means of the screw 26, the upward limit of movement of the plunger 88 or the disc I50 relative to .the needle 35, may 10 be varied, thereby permitting the needle to pass entirely through the body fabric as shown in Fig. 34, or only partially therethrough. The location of the adjusting screw 26 makes it easy for the operator to effect the desired adjustment, espe- 15 cially when different thicknesses of fabric are employed.

It is of course to be understood that the details of structure and arrangement of parts may be variously changed and modified Without depart- 20 I ing from the spirit and scope of my invention,

- and I wish it to be understood that I believe I am mittently feeding the fabric up to and past the needle, a ridge forming element for intermittently projecting anode of the hemmed fabric upas wardly through the presser foot opening into needle penetrating position, meansfor actuating the ridge forming element including devices for.

intermittently projecting the bodyfabric and the hem and then the hem only into needle penetrating positions, and manually controlled means cooperating with the ridge forming element actuating means for successively projecting both the body fabric and the hem into needle penetrating position. 2. In a sewing machine for seaming hemmed fabrics, the combination with a stationary presser foot having an opening, of a needle mounted above the foot .for reciprocatory movements across the opening in the foot, means for intermittently feeding the fabric up to ,and past the needle, a ridge forming element for intermittently projecting a node of the hemmed fabric upwardly through the presser foot opening into needle penetrating position, means for actuating the ridge forming element including devices for intermittently projecting both the body fabric and the hem and then the hem only into needle penetrating positions, said actuating means comprising a main shaft, an oscillatory shaft operatively connected to the ridge forming element, and driving connections between the main shaft and the oscillatory shaft includinga transmitting lever rockable on a shiftable fulcrum, and a manually operable lever for shifting said fulcrum and for shifting the angular range of movement of said oscillatory shaft whereby the ridge forming element will successively project both the body fabric and the hem into needle penetrating position. 3. In a sewing machine for seaming hemmed fabrics, the combination with a stationary presser foot having an opening, of a needle mounted above the foot for reciprocatory movemrnts across the opening in the foot, means for inter- 15 1 eccentric, a reduction gear coupling between the penetrating positions, said actuating means commain shaft and the eccentric sleeve, an oscillatory, shaft operatively connected to the ridge forming element, and driving connections between the eccentric sleeve and the oscillatory shaft including a transmitting lever rockable on a shiftable fulcrum, and a manually operable lever for shifting said fulcrum and for shifting the angular range of movement of said oscillatory shaft whereby the ridge forming element will successively project the body fabric and the hem into needle penetrating position.

' 4. In a sewing machine for seaming hemmed fabrics, the combination with a stationary presser foot having an opening, of a needle mounted above -the foot for reciprocatory movements across the opening in the foot, means for intermittently feeding the. fabric up to and past the needle, a ridge forming element for intermittently projecting a node of the hemmed fabric upwardly through the presser foot opening into needle penetrating position, means for actuating the ridge forming element including devices for intermittently projecting both the body fabric and the hem and then the hem only into needle penetrating positions, manually controlled means cooperating with the ridge forming element actuating means for successively projecting both the body fabrica'nd the hem into needle penetrating position, and an indicator operated by the ridge forming element actuating means'for indicating to the operator when the element is successively projecting both the body fabric and the hem into needle penetrating position.

5. In a sewing machine for seaming hemmed fabrics, the combination with a stationary presser foot having'an opening, of a needle mounted above the foot for reciprocatory movements across the opening in the foot, means for ,intermittently feeding the fabric up to and past the needle, a ridge'forming element for intermittently projecting a node of the hemmed fabric upwardly through the presser foot opening into needle penetrating position, means for actuating the ridge forming element including devices for intermittently projecting both the body fabric and the hem and then the hem only into needle prising a main shaft, an oscillatory shaft operatively connected to the ridge forming element, and driving connections between the main shaft and the oscillatory shaft including a transmitting lever rockable on 'a shiftable fulcrum. a manually operable lever for shifting said fulcrum and for shifting the angular range of movement of said oscillatory shaft whereby the ridge forming element will successively project both the body fabric and-the hem into needle penetrating position, and an indicator finger fixed to the oscillatory shaft forindicating to the operator when the element is successively projecting both the body fabric and the hem into needle penetrating position.

. 6. In a sewing machine, a reciprocatory ridge ridge of material will be projected through said $8,018,186 a forming element, and means for actuating said element andfor intermittently varyingjits range of effective movement including a manually controlled means for maintaining constant its effective range of movement. (q 7. In .a sewing machine, a stationary presser foot having an opening, a reciprocatory needle operating in a fixed path above the opening, a reciprocatory ridge forming element located below the foot for'projecting a ridge of material 10 upwardly through theopening into needle penetrating' position, and means for actuating said ridge forming element and for varying its range of effective movement whereby the ridge of material will be projected higher through the open- 1 ing at one time than at another and including a manually controlled means formaintaining constant its eifective range of movement whereby the opening to the same height.

8. In a sewing machine, a reciprocatory ridge forming element, and means for actuating said element and for intermittently varying its range of effective movement including a manually controlled means for maintaining constant its ef- 5 fective range of movement, said actuating means comprising a main shaft, an oscillatory shaft operatively connected to the ridge forming element, and driving connections'between the main shaft and the oscillatory shaft including a transo mitting lever rockable on a shiftableful'crum. and a manually operable lever for shiftingsaidi fulcrum and for shifting the angular range of movement of-said oscillatory shaft whereby the ridge forming element will successively project as both the body fabric and the hem into needle penetrating position.

9. In a sewing machine, a stationary presser foot having an opening, a reciprocatory'needle operating in a fixed path above the opening, a a

reciprocatory ridge forming element located below the foot for projecting a ridge of material I upwardly through theopening into needle penetrating position, and means for actuating said ridge forming element and for varying its range a of effective. movement whereby the ridge of material will be projected higher through the opening at one time than at another and including a transmitting lever, a shiftable fulcrum for the lever, and a manually operable lever for shifting said lever fulcrum for maintaining constantthe effective range of movement of the ridge forming element whereby the ridge of material will be will be projected higher through the opening at 66 one time than at another and including a-manually controlled means for maintaining constant its effective range of movement whereby the ridge of material will be projected through said opening to the same height, said actuating means 70 comprising a main shaft, an eccentric fixed tothe main shaft, an eccentric sleeve surrounding the eccentric, a reduction gear coupling between the main shaft and the eccentric sleeve, an oscillatory shaft operatively connected to the ridge forming 16 l as element, driving connections between the eccentric sleeve and the oscillatory shaft including a transmitting lever rockable on a shiftable fulcrum, and a manually operable lever for shifting the fulcrum of the transmitting lever for shifting the angular range of movement of said oscillatory shaft.

a plunger fixed to said plate, a horizontal cam shaft having a cam fixed thereon and operatively engaged with the cam plate, and means for oscillatingsaid cam shaft.

13; A plunger mechanism for sewing machines,

.comprising a vertically reciprocatory plunger,-

and means for normally and intermittently varying the effective height of the plunger strokes including manually controlled means for maintaining constant the effective height of said plunger strokes.

14. A plunger. mechanism for sewing machines, comprising a vertically reciprocatory cam plate, a plunger fixed to said plate, a horizontal cam shaft having a cam fixed thereon and operatlvely engaged with the cam plate, and means for oscillating said cam shaft including devices for varying the angular range of movement of the cam whereby the height of the plunger stroke will be correspondingly varied.

15. A plunger mechanism for sewing machines, comprising a vertically reciprocatory cam plate, a plunger fixed to said plate, a horizontal cam shaft having a cam fixed thereon and operatively engaged with the cam plate, and means for oscillating said cam shaft including devices for varying the angular range of movement of the cam whereby the height of the plunger stroke will be -correspondingly varied, said devices including manually controlled means for shifting the cam shaft angularly whereby the height of the plunger stroke will be constant.

16. A plunger mechanism for sewing machines, comprising a vertically reciprocatory cam plate, a plunger fixed to said plate, a horizontal cam shaft having a cam fixed thereon and operatively engaged with the .cam plate, means for oscillating said camshaft including a main rotary shaft disposed in parallelism with the cam shaft, and

operating connections between the main shaftand the cam shaft including devices for varying, the angular range of movement of the cam whereby the height of the plunger stroke will be correspondingly varied.

17. A plunger mechanism for sewing machines, comprising a vertically reciprocatory cam plate,

a plungerfixed to said plate, a horizontal cam correspondingly varied, said devices including manually controlled means for shifting the cam shaft angularly whereby the height of the plunger stroke will be constant.

18. A plunger mechanism for sewing machines, comprising a vertically reciprocatory cam plate,

' a plunger fixed to said plate, a horizontal cam shaft having a cam fixed thereon and operatively engaged with the cam plate, and means for oscillating said cam shaft including devices for varying the angular range of movement of the cam whereby the height of the plunger stroke will be correspondingly varied, said camshaft oscillating means comprising a main shaft, driving connections between the main shaft and the 15 cam shaft including a transmitting lever rockable about a shiftable fulcrum, and a manually operable lever for. shifting said fulcrum and for angularly shifting said cam shaft whereby the. height of the'successive plunger strokes will-be 20 constant.

19. A plunger mechanism for sewing machines, comprising a vertically reciprocatory cam plate, a plunger fixed to said plate, a horizontal c'am shaft having a cam fixed'thereon and operatively 25 engaged with the cam plate, and means for oscillating said cam shaft including devices for varying the angular range of movementof the cam whereby the height of the plunger stroke will be correspondingly varied, said cam shaft oscillating means comprising a main shaft, an eccentrio fixed to the main shaft, an eccentric sleeve surrounding the eccentric, a reduction gear coupling between the main shaft and the eccentric sleeve, driving connections between the eccentric sleeve and the cam shaft including a transmitting lever rockable about a 'shiftable fulcrum, and a manually operable lever for shifting said fulcrum and for angularly shifting said cam shaft whereby the height of the successive plunger l strokes will be'constant. 1

20. A plunger mechanism for sewing machines, comprising a vertically reciprocatory plunger, means for intermittently varying the effective height of the plunger strokes including manually controlled means for maintaining constant the effective height of said plunger strokes, and an indicator operated by the cam shaft oscillating means for indicating to the operator when the height of the plunger stroke is constant. I 21. A plunger mechanism for sewing machines, comprising a vertically reciprocatory plunger, means for intermittently varying the effective height of the plunger strokes including manually controlled means for maintaining constant the effective height of said plunger strokes, and. an indicator finger fixed. to the cam shaft for indicating to the operator when the height of the plunger stroke is constant.

22. In a sewing machine, an oscillatory ridge forming disc, and means for oscillating said disc for a fixed amount and for intermittently varying the position of the angular range of movement of said disc including manually controlled means for oscillating the disc in a constant position of angular range of movement.

23. In a sewing machine, an oscillatory shaft, a ridge forming disc fixed to said shaft, a main shaft, and operating connections between said ridge forming disc fixed to said shaft, 9. main shaft, an eccentric fixed to the main shaft, an eccentric sleeve surrounding the eccentric, a reduction gear coupling between the main shaft and the eccentric sleeve, driving connections between the eccentric sleeve and the disc shaft including a transmitting lever rockable about a shiftable fulcrum for varying the position of the angular range of movement ofthe, disc, and a '10 manually operable'lever for .shifting said fulcrum and for shifting the angular position of the disc shaft whereby the angular range of movement of the disc will be constant. 25. In a sewing machine, an oscillatory ridge forming disc, means for oscillating said disc for a fixed amount and for intermittently varying the position of the angular range of movement of said disc including manually controlled means for oscillating the disc in a constant position of angular range of movement, and an indicator.

bperated by the disc oscillating means for indieating to the operator when the angular range of movementof the disc is constant.

26. In a sewing machine,an oscillatory shaft,

a ridge forming disc fixed to saidshaft, a main shaft, operating connections between said shafts including devices for varying the position of the angular range of movement of the disc, said devices. including manually controlled means for an oscillating the disc in a constant position of angular range of movement, and an indicator finger fixedto the disc shaft for indicating to the operator when the angular range of movement of the disc is constant.

27. In a sewing machine, the combination with a frame, of a stationary presser foot attached thereto and having an opening, astitch forming mechanism disposed above the foot and including'a needle having its path of movement across 40 the opening in the foot, means located below the foot for projecting a node of fabric upwardly through the opening in the foot into needle penetrating position, a main shaft journaled in the frame, driving connections between the main shaft-and the,ridge forming element for intermittently actuating the latter in timed relation with the needle, and means for intermittently feeding the fabric up to and past the needle including 'upper and lower feeds cooperating with the fabric and respectively having independent driving connections with the main shaft.

28. In asewingmachine, the combination with a frame, of a stationary presser foot attached thereto and having an opening, a stitch forming mechanism disposed abovethe foot and including a needle'having its path of movement across the slot in the foot, means located below the foot for projecting a node of fabric upwardly through the opening in the foot into needle penetrating position, a main shaft journaled in the frame,

, driving connections between the main shaft and the ridge forming element for intermittently actuating the latter in timed relation with the needle, and means for intermittently feeding the es fabric up to and past the needle including upper and lower feeds cooperating with the fabric and respectively having independent driving connec- \tions with the main shaft, said connections for the feeding means being separate fromtheridge forming element actuating means and each feeding connection including means for admechanism disposed above the foot and including aneedle having its path of movement across the opening in the foot, means located below the foot for projecting a node of fabric upwardly through the opening in the foot into needle pene- 5 trating position, a main shaft journaled in the frame, driving connections between the main shaft and the ridge forming element for intermittently actuating the latter in timed relation with the needle, and means for intermittently 10 feeding the fabric up to and past the needle in- -a needle having its path of movement across the opening in the foot, means located below the foot 25 for projecting a node of fabric upwardly through the opening in the foot into needle penetrating position, a main shaft journaled in the frame, driving connections between the main shaft and the ridge forming element for intermittently 30 actuating the latter in timed relation with the needle, and means for intermittently feeding the fabric up to and past the needle including upper and lower feeds cooperating with the fabric and respectively having independent driving connec- 35 tions with the main shaft, said connections for the feedingmeans being separate from the ridge forming element actuating means and each feeding connection including an adjustable eccentric ,for adjusting the feed stroke of the associated 4,0 feed. dog, said eccentrics being mounted on said main shaft.

31. In a blind stitch sewing machine for seaming superposed fabric layers, the combination with a horizontal presser foot having an open- 45 ing; of a stitch forming mechanism disposed above the foot and including a reciprocatory needle movable above said opening; means for'pro- Jecting a ridge of said fabric layers upwardly through the presser foot opening into needle 50. penetrating position whereby during successive cycles the needle will enter and emerge from both layers to form resultant anchor stitches joining said layers, and manually operable control means for effecting the periodic lowering of said ridge relative to the path of needle movement whereby during certain cycles the needle will enter and emerge from the upper layer only to form resultant skip stitches.

32. In a blind 'stitch sewing machine for seam- 60 ing superposed fabric layers, the combination ,with a horizontal presser foot having an opening;' of a 'stitch forming mechanism disposed above the foot and including a reciprocatory needle movabe above'said opening; means for in- 65 termittently projecting a ridge of said fabric layers upwardly through the presser foot opening into needle penetrating position whereby during successive cycles the needle will enter and emerge from both layers to form resultant 70. anchor stitches joining said layers, and manually operable control means associated with said ridge projecting means for effecting the periodic lowering of said ridgerelative to the path of needle movement whereby during certain cycles cillating the disc in timed relation to the needle the needle will enter and emerge from the upper layeronly to form resultant skip stitches.

33. In a blind stitch sewing machine for seaming superposed fabric layers, the combination with a horizontal presser foot having an opening; of a'stitch forming mechanism disposed above the foot and including a reciprocatory needle movable above said opening; an element located below the path of needle travel for forming a ridge of fabric; means for reciprocating said element for intermittently projecting both fabric layers upwardly through the presser'foot opening into needle penetrating position whereby the needle during successive cycles will enter and emerge from both layers to form resultant anchor stitches joining said layers, and manually operable control means for effecting the positioning of the ridge forming element at a lower height relative to the path of needle travel during certain cycles whereby the needle will enter and emerge from the upper layer only to form resultant skip stitches.

34. In a blind stitch sewing machine for seaming superposed fabric layers, the combination with a horizontal presser foot having an opening; of a stitch forming mechanism disposed above the foot and including a reciprocatory needle movable above said opening; an element located below the path of needle travel for forming a ridge of fabric; means including an oscillatory shaft for reciprocating said element for intermittently projecting both fabric layers upwardly through the presser foot opening into needle penetrating position whereby the needle during successive cycles will enter and emerge from both layers to form resultant anchor stitches joining said layers, and manually operable control means for varying the position of the angular range of movement of said shaft for effecting the positioning of the ridge forming element at a lower height relative to the path of needle travel during certain cycles whereby the needle will enter and emerge from the upper layer only to form resultant skip stitches.

35. In a blind stitch sewing machine, an oscillatory ridge forming disc having peripheral surfaces of different radii arranged in tandem, a needle reciprocating above the disc, means for reciprocating the needle, means for oscillating the disc in timed relation to the needle reciprocations to thereby successively present one only of said disc surfaces to the needle to maintain constant the effective depth of needle penetration, and manually controlled means for effecting during the running of the machine the periodic presentation of one of said disc surfaces to the needle during certain cycles and the presentation of the other disc surface to the needle during other cycles to thereby vary the effective depths of needle penetrations.

36. In a blind stitch sewing machine, the combination with a main shaft, of an oscillatory shaft, a ridge forming disc fixed thereto and having peripheral surfaces of different radii arranged in tandem, a needle reciprocating above the disc, means for reciprocating the needle, driving connections between said shafts for sduring other cycles to thereby vary the effective 10 depths of needle penetrations.

3'7. In a blind stitch sewing machine, an oscillatory ridge forming disc having high and low 118- ripheral portions arranged in tandem, a needle reciprocating above'the disc, means for reciprocating the needle, means for oscillating the disc in timed relation to the needle reciprocations to thereby successively present the high portion of the disc to the needle to maintain constant the eifective depth of needle penetration, and manually controlled means for effecting the presenta tion of the high portion of the disc to the needle during certain cycles and the presentation of the low portion of the disc to the needle during other cycles to thereby vary the effective depths of needle penetrations.

38. In a blind stitch sewing machine, the combination with a main shaft, of an oscillatory shaft, a ridge forming disc fixed thereto and having high and low peripheral portions arranged in tandem, a needle reciprocating above the disc, means for reciprocating the needle, driving connections between said shafts for oscillating the disc in timed relation to the needle reciprocations to thereby successively present a high portion of the disc to the needle to maintain constant the effective depth of needle penetration, and

manually controlled means associated with said driving conections for effecting the presentation of the high peripheral portion of the disc to the o needle during certain cycles and the presentation of the low peripheral portion of the disc to the needle during other cycles to thereby vary the effective depths of needle penetrations.

39. In a sewing machine, the combination with a frame including a base, a standard, an arm ex (ending laterally from the upper end of the standard, and an arm extending forwardly from the other end of the laterally extending arm, of a presser foot fixed to the front end of the forwardly extending arm, a stitch forming mechanism including a needle mounted on the front end of said forwardly extending arm above the presser foot, a substantially horizontal work support disposed in front of the laterally extending arm and having a portion located under said presser foot, means for pivotally mounting the work support on the base, the pivot being located in a vertical plane in rear of the needle, 2. spring for urging the front portion of the work support 50 upwardly towards the needle, and an adjustable screw mounted in the rear portion of the work support and bearing against a frame portion to variably lower positively the front portion of the work support against the tension of said spring.

CHARLES W. MUELLER. 

